Prophetic Remedy for Tension Headaches and Migraine Headaches

An excellent and immediate remedy for headaches is Hijama. Headache sufferers, even those suffering from an extreme form of headaches called migraines report a marked relief from the intensity and frequency of the headaches they’ve experienced for years.

There is a sahih hadith pertaining to the use of Hijama for this purpose. It was narrated by Ibn Abbas (ra) that the Prophet (saw) had Hijama done for an ailment he was suffering from while he was in a state of Ihram. at a water place called Lahl Jamal. Ibn Abbas further said: “Allah’s Messenger (saw) had hijama done on his head for headache while he was in a state of Ihram.” (Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 7, Book 71, Number 602)

The prophetic remedy for headaches and migraines is Hijama. The Prophet (saw) encouraged it, and had it done on himself when he had a headache.

Headaches are the most common problem of the nervous system. According to the World Health Organization, it affects two thirds of men and 80% of women in developed countries. Migraine is the 19th most common cause of disability worldwide, and it reduces the social life of people who suffer from it by about 60% and may become a lifelong disability.

The prevalence and incidence of headaches in the US is very high. About 90% of men and 95% of women have at least one attack of headache every year. Americans spend about two billion dollars every year on headache medications.

Headache is defined as a pain in the head or neck region. And this pain varies in intensity, duration and the area affected.

According to books based upon the works of Ibn Al Qayyim (rahimullah), headaches are generally caused by heat and fever in the head, because an accumulation of hot vapours are seeking a way out of the body. As the heat rises into the head, it causes an increase in amount of fluid in the cranium and a swelling of the membrane inside the skull. The pain can either be felt all over the head or more commonly, on one side of the head.

Headaches can be of various kinds such as sinus headaches experienced behind the forehead and cheekbones or tension headaches that feel like as if a tight band is being squeezed around the head. Headaches can also be experienced in and around the eye called cluster headaches or those caused by stress in the neck and shoulders region.

When Hijama is performed on the base of the neck, forehead and upper shoulders the tensed muscles are relaxed because of an increased blood supply to the area. In this way, it can work to relieve the pain.

On the other hand, Migraines are caused when there is a reduction in the blood supply to the brain. This is why; they are also called vascular headaches. Migraine is a pain in half of the head and is characterized by a throbbing pain associated with nausea, vomiting and visual disturbance.

Whenever the migraine patient experiences a specific trigger such as extreme stress, loud sounds, or even strong odors, the muscles at the base of the skull go into spasm and restrict the blood supply. To make up for this insufficiency and the resultant reduced oxygen, the blood vessels in the brain expand. Thus, they exert pressure on the nerves in the brain causing severe pulsating pain. This is also the reason why the patient sees visual auras that can last for 4 minutes to an hour. Nausea and vomiting can also occur. Some patients report that regular physical tasks, loud sounds, and bright lights seem to aggravate the pain.

Two studies conducted on Hijama proved its effectiveness as a remedy for headaches. One was conducted by the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, and the other by World Family Medicine Journal. Participants in both studies showed a significant decrease in the severity of their headaches.

Research has proved that Hijama is an effective treatment for headaches. The first research study was published in 2008 in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of wet cupping therapy in the treatment of tension headaches and migraines. Wet cupping is one of the oldest recorded medical modalities in the world and it is called Al-Hijama in Arabic. The researchers treated 70 patients who were suffering from tension headaches. The patients were evaluated before and after treatment, and 66% recorded a decrease in the severity of their headaches. They also noted that the frequency of the headache episodes went down.

The second research study was carried in 2010 in World Family Medicine Journal. The aim of this research was to evaluate the role of cupping therapy in the treatment of chronic headache and chronic back pain. There were 86 participants in this trial, but only 37 of them were treated because they were suffering from chronic headache. The patients were evaluated pre- and post-therapy according to the visual pain scale. The results were excellent as the pain severity decreased significantly after one session of cupping therapy. This study revealed the positive effect of cupping therapy, especially that cupping is a good and effective treatment for chronic headaches.

Any questions on Hijama or if you want to set up an appointment, contact Amin Shah at 617-787-5151, or email: aminshah@shahclan.net. We are based in Boston, MA – USA.